Top Stories

Citizen Methane

Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, leaks from abandoned wells across the country. Curtis Shuck has been finding them by hand, well by well. But finding the leaks is where satellites and citizens come in.

QUICK READS

 

IN DEPTH

 

CHATTER

 

Hot Feet for
Antarctic Penguins?

Created by Vrinda Manglik for the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition

GALLERY OF POSTS

 

Citizen Methane

Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, leaks from abandoned wells across the country. Curtis Shuck has been finding them by hand, well by well. But finding the leaks is where satellites and citizens come in.

Imprisoned with Climate Change

Climate change has a disproportionate impact on incarcerated Americans. Juan Moreno Haines, one of 2.3 million prisoners in the US, describes his experience.

Artists Circle Confronts Climate Displacement and Just Recovery

The climate crisis in driving the displacement of people around the world. In the midst of the pandemic, an artists circle began developing new approaches to the issue.

Future-Proof Homes?

Oona Khan dreams about her home of the future, after losing her Malibu retreat to fire. Caught in a quagmire of legal battles with Southern California Edison, and surging construction costs, Khan is still waiting to start construction.

The Case for Climate Castles

As climate change throws more extreme events at us, isn’t it time to think bigger, bolder, further ahead? Six young architects draw climate-resilient castles.

Looking for Justice at the Nexus of Housing and Climate Policy

How housing is built and who it is built for are not only equity questions, but also climate mitigation questions. When people can afford to live near their jobs, their emissions from commuting go down.

Bittersweet Beach Outing to See King Tide

On a clear morning in January, a group of tide worshippers gathered at the Santa Monica Pier to “celebrate the ocean and build our climate community,” said Laurene von Klan.

Safer at School from Wildfire Smoke?

Research confirms the drastic impacts wildfire smoke has had on school learning. But 16 East Bay schools now have updated air filters and more actions are in the pipeline statewide.

My Neighborhood Wised Up to Fire

When we fled the house in the Santa Cruz mountains that we had been living in for just nine months, we knew exactly two of our neighbors.

Extremes-in-3D

In Part 1 FIRE, KneeDeep explores where to expect debris flows from burn scars, how one neighborhood became fire wise, and what schools are doing to become safe havens.

East Coast: Three Tales of Trouble and Triumph in the Fight Against Storm Surge

In this January mini-series, KneeDeep reaches across the continent to the East Coast to see how New York, New Jersey and Miami are wrestling with rising seas, whether they are succeeding in getting the local populace on-board, how the Army Corps’ is faring in its slow embrace of more nature-based flood-protection, and what parallels can be found here in San Francisco Bay. Three different angles on the same story, including one presented for your listening pleasure, by reporters Lilah Burke, Robin Meadows, and Ashleigh Papp.

Rising Seas Bring the Cryosphere to NYC’s Battery Park City

From New York’s Battery Park City and Staten Island to the Cryosphere, follow sea level rise resilience work in this 13 minute audio story.

How Far Can Metro Harbors Go on Nature-Based Shore Protection?

Typical flood protections rely on engineered structures. But there’s a new push at the national level of the US Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize working with nature. Storm surge plans currently underway in New York, Miami and San Francisco highlight a range of nature-based fixes.

New Maps Reveal Bay Area Flood Threat From Below

As Bay Area residents kayaked through flooded streets and bailed out buildings during California’s recent storms, they faced not only bursting creeks and pouring rain but also rising groundwater.

More Chances for San Rafael Canal Communities to Be Heard

In November 2022 San Rafael launched a resilience planning project that has community-based organizations playing an active role in decision-making.

Storm Surge Resilience Jigsaw Confounds New York

An Army Corps storm surge and flood plan for the New-York-New Jersey waterfront, now going through a public comment period, could be the most far-reaching coastal resilience project the region has seen thus far. The preferred alternative, however, is leaving advocates and community groups questioning if all the pieces will ever fit together.

In Atlas of Disaster, No One is Safe

According to the Atlas of Disaster, 90% of U.S. counties have had an extreme weather event in the last ten years, and California had more disasters than any other state between 2011 and 2021. The report also offers a cost-effective path forward.

Oaklanders Leading on Climate

The 14 graduates of the inaugural 2021 Oakland Shoreline Leadership Academy have new skills to confront the rising tide head-on. “It’s completely changed how I look at the environment,” confesses Academy alum Shy Walker.

What Exactly is a Bomb Cyclone Anyway?

It’s hard for me to imagine a scarier name for weather than bomb cyclone — the kind of California experienced on January 4, 2023 — and in the days leading up to the storm, the media frenzy amped up my fears even more. Next, PG&E and my internet provider warned me of service outages. Then, Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency.

San Francisco’s Subtle Greenwashing

San Francisco is increasingly seen as a “green” city but its track record doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.